A Potpourri of Life
by Ceylonna
Summary: A collection of unrelated oneshots, primarily resulting from writing exercises and drabble challenges.
1. Cherry Trees

This is (will be) a collection of short, unrelated, pieces. I want to become a better writer, and that means writing more. I'm attempting to try various writing exercises/drabble challenges. Most of these pieces will be from challenges posted on the writers blog, Smoke and Mirrors (See community. livejournal. com / triumvirata /). I plan to spend about 20 minutes writing each piece (not counting a spell check and final proof reading).

This first piece is not that exciting, I'm mainly posting it because I promised myself I'd post all the pieces I wrote for these challenges. However, the second piece "Dyeing Eggs" I feel is much better.

I'm not expecting any reviews, but feedback is always appreciated.

This piece took me about 25 minutes to write. A bit more than I was aiming for, and I probably would have extended it with more time. With practice, I hope to be able to write more quickly. The exercise was to use "retrospect, it was all the fault of the cherry trees" as an opening sentence.

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, etc. This applies this and all stories in this collection.

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In retrospect, it was all the fault of the cherry trees. With the sun shinning brightly and the gentle spring breeze flowing through the dojo, it was an ideal spring day. So ideal, that it seemed natural to go out and watch the cherry trees, or so she told Kenshin.

The damn cherry trees.

While Kenshin made a picnic lunch, Kaoru changed into a new kimono and planned ways to "encourage Yahiko to take himself elsewhere. _Hmm.. telling him that we'll watch the blossoms and recite haikus, should do it..._

With the threat of poetry looming, Yaiko indeed remembered that he was supposed to work for Tae that afternoon, leaving them alone for their picnic.

_Alone together? Check. New Kimono and hair ribbon? Check. Romantic setting? Check. Willing Kenshin? ... That is the question, Kaoru isn't it? Now's your chance to get him to make a move._

Actually the picnic had been going well. Kenshin had found a nice spot in the shade with a lovely view of the trees. Lunch was tasty, the conversation was pleasant. He had even sat close to her and recited a few haikus. Things were looking up. True the gentle breeze had picked up and gotten a bit cold, but when Kenshin saw her goose bumps he had put an arm around her and pulled her close to keep her warm. Looking into his eyes as he leaned in, almost touching noses, everything seem perfect. He was finally going to kiss her, thank god! And then….

_ACHOOO!_

Damn cherry trees….


	2. Dyeing Eggs

This was another drabble challenge from Smoke and Mirrors. Use the following sentence somewhere in the middle of the piece:

" She refused to be defeated by a box of eggs, a package of food coloring, and a pot of water."

I meant to only spend 20 minutes writing this, but I actually took an hour to get down everything I wanted. I'm trying to use italics to indicate thoughts, and I'm wondering how well that worked out.

Updated to fix all those embarrassing spelling mistakes that got through the spellchecker.

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**Dyeing Eggs**

Kaoru looked around the kitchen in her boyfriend's apartment. Clean, as usual. The white porcelain sink even appeared to shine and certainly didn't have those stains that always seemed to haunt hers.

Setting the eggs on the counter, she took a deep breath. Dyeing eggs shouldn't be too hard. She had a business degree, dammit. And was an assistant master at the dojo. She refused to be defeated by a box of eggs, a package of food coloring, and a pot of water.

Of course, when she agreed to bring colored eggs to the party (_"Even you should be able to boil water," Megumi had commented_) she had planned on having Kenshin here to help. He had reminisced about dyeing eggs as a child and was happy to help her with it. Unfortunately he had just called to let her know he was running late – Sano's car had broken down and Kenshin had been roped into giving him a lift.

No matter. Kaoru straightened her shoulders. She had research how to boil eggs on the web. _Let the water come to a full boil, add eggs, and stir_.. no wait, that was pasta. Hmmm… That's right, put the eggs in a small amount of cold water and bring to a boil. No problem she could do that.

Putting the pan of water on the stove, Kaoru looked at the food coloring. Misao had made a remarke about adding the dye to the water before adding the eggs. Or something like that when Kaoru asked if she needed paint brushes to apply the dye. Looking at the food coloring and pan of water again, Kaoru wrinkled her brow. Even _she_ knew not to add all the colors to the same pan. Sighing, Kaoru got out two more pans and filled them with water. There, now she could have red, blue, and green colored eggs.

Adding a few drops of red to the first pan, Kaoru frowned. Misao had said that five or six drops should be enough, but that water looked only pinkish. Maybe Misao has meant six drops _per_ egg. Yeah, that might make more sense. Adding the extra dye, Kaoru smiled. This was going better than expected. She even managed to get a decent green using the blue and yellow food colorings, even if it took twice as many drops as Misao had suggested. And if she lost count when doing the other colors and added a few extra drops, well darker colors were in fashion this year, right?

Adding the eggs and turning on the stove, Kaoru looked at the clock. How long was she supposed to cook them again? Eight minutes? Twelve minutes? The website had said something about the eggs getting rubbery and the yolks turning green if they were overcooked. _ Eight minutes it is then._

About to set the timer, she froze. The website had said to start timing until after the water began to boil. Kaoru congratulated herself on remembering this important detail. Thinking hard while watching the water, she tried to remember if there was anything else. _Oh yeah, don't let the water boil to much, since it can knock the eggs together and make them crack. Besides, I'd hate for it to boil over with all the food coloring in there. Kenshin would not be happy to find that mess on his stove._

At the first sign of bubbles Kaoru smiled, started the timer, covered the pots, and turned the heat down to simmer. _It was simmer covered, right? Then let stand ten minutes without peaking. No, wait, that's rice._

Getting out a colander, Kaoru looked at the clock. Kenshin should be back soon, provided Sano hadn't made him wait. She hoped the eggs would be done before he got back; she could surprise him with her newfound cooking abilities. See, all it takes is a little research. Th internet to the rescue.

Setting the colander in the sink, Kaoru turned to the stove. The timer was almost up. Grabbing potholders, she removed the lids. Taking the pot of soon-to-be red eggs, she moved to the sink. _Drain the eggs. Right. _She poured the pan into the colander. Sure the water splashed around, but the eggs all made it into the strainer. They looked fairly light, barely pink (unlike the sink), but they would get darker when they dried, right?

Dumping the pot of they-better-be-blue eggs in next, Kaoru winced at the cracking noise. _Well, they are hard boiled, so if one or two have a crack in them it's not a big deal. We'll just put that side on the bottom._

As she was pouring out the last pot, Kaoru heard keys in the door. Looking at the very pale green eggs on top, she frowned. _Rinse with cold water to brighten the color, right? No, that's for broccoli. _Though it would probably help the sink, which was beginning to look sort of brown.

At the approaching footsteps, Kaoru looked up and smiled at her lover.

"Look, Kenshin, I managed to make the eggs all by myself," Kaoru said, grabbing an egg.

"Ow!" she cursed, dropping the egg. "Still hot."

Splat. Looking down Kaoru saw the broken egg on the ground, the runny yolk clearly seeping through the just-barely-tinted-green shell.

Kenshin tried to hide his smile, "Don't worry we'll just cook them a little longer before we color them."

"But I already colored them, see!" Kaoru frowned, pulling him over the once shiny, but now colored, sink full of eggs.

Kenshin grimaced at the state of his newly cleaned sink. Sighing, he pulled his girlfriend into a hug. "Don't worry love, I have more eggs in the car," he said, kissing her hair as she slumped into him.

"Besides, dyeing eggs is traditionally something to do with those you care about. I want to share this experienced with you," he murmured. "There's also a chocolate bunny in the car, waiting to make your acquaintance."

Time with her lover and a chocolate bunny. Did she really need anything more? Probably not.

So long as it was a solid bunny, that is.


	3. Stormy Appreciation

Smoke and Mirrors drabble challenge: use the lead in: "It was a dark and stormy night..."

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It was a dark and stormy night, which meant that Kaoru was wrapped tightly in a blanket on her futon, fervently wishing it was morning. A flash of lightening lit the room, casting creepy shadows everywhere before plunging her back into darkness. The accompanying thunder made her flinch and gasp.

Tap, tap. Tap. .. Tap. Just a tree branch, she reassured herself. She yelped at the next crack of thunder.

Here door slid partially open and a familiar redhead appeared.

"Are you alright, Kaoru-dono," he whispered.

"..Kenshin..," she stuttered, "just… fine."

"Would you like to come watch the storm with me? This one has made some tea." He said calmly, gazing out the window. "Such a strong storm makes it difficult to sleep, does it not?"

"Thank you, Kenshin. I'll be right there," replied Kaoru, as he slid the door closed.

&&&

Belting her robe tighter, Kaoru entered the dining room. Kenshin turned, smiled, and patted the cushion beside him, nodding to the cup of tea next to it. She sat, curling in on herself in anticipation of the next thunderclap.

Kenshin spoke, breaking the silence, "Such storms reminds this one of how fortunate he is to be here."

Kaoru turned and looked at him.

"Being outside right now would be very cold and wet. Yet here I am, warm, dry, and in good company," he continued. "The lightening may seem close and the thunder strong, but I need only look around to see that those I care about are closer and our friendship is stronger."

He smiled softly at her. "Try to appreciate what you have near, rather than worry about what is outside."

Gazing up at him, Kaoru smiled back. The thunder still made her cringe, but anytime alone with Kenshin was special. And no storm was going to keep her from appreciating his presence.

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Note: Tried to write for 20 minutes, but had to go longer to give the piece any sort of point. However, I limited myself to 25 minutes, to force myself to write quicker. Tried writing dialog, which is definitely a weak point of mine. I think the resolution is too quick, given the build up and frankly a little corny. But I was running out of time and couldn't think of anything else in the three minutes I had remaining. Once again, posting this out of my self-promise to post. Critiques and advice are certainly appreciated.


	4. Tofu

This is another drabble challenge from the Smoke and Mirrors blog. Use the lead in: "He looked down at the tofu bucket with a sense of gathering doom."

I did this piece in about 35 minutes. I think its better than some I've written, though I like "Dyeing Eggs" better.

Standard disclaimers apply: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, etc.

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He looked down at the tofu bucket with a sense of gathering doom. Tofu. What do you cook with tofu? Yeah, Kenshin made all sorts of feasts with tofu: deep fried tofu, glazed tofu, tofu custard, tofu in black bean sauce…. But that was _Kenshin!_ Kenshin, not him. How was he supposed to make something edible out of that white lump.

Setting down the tofu bucket, Yahiko fought the urge to bang his head on the counter. Repeatedly. How had he gotten himself into this mess? This was not a reasonable punishment for criticizing one of Kaoru's creations on what Sano called "that-time-of-the month". Though it seemed like Kaoru wasn't happy with comments on her cooking at anytime of the month, so he didn't see what made "this" time so different. But even with Sano's warnings that she was moody today, he had still opened his big mouth.

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"Hey, ugly! What's for lunch? And why isn't Kenshin cooking it to make sure you don't poison all of us?" he shouted as Kaoru brought food to the table.

"Shut up, Yahiko-chan. The police chief asked Kenshin to help out with something today, so I offered to cook lunch," Kaoru snapped, clenching her teeth. "And if you're worried about poison, I'm sure Sano will eat your share."

"Ah, give it here. I'm sure it won't kill me, though it might make me wish I was dead." He grumbled as he began to eat.

In truth, it was one of Kaoru's better attempts. The rice, while tasting a little burnt, was neither crunchy nor gluey. The pickled vegetables, while quite sour, were indeed edible and crisp. The cold tofu with sesame seeds seemed watery and more smashed than cubed, but it actually tasted okay. And not even Kaoru could ruin watermelon, although the wedges were in rather strange shapes. Still he had a reputation to uphold and there was no way he'd be caught admitting her cooking had improved, especially with Sano there.

"Yeech. I don't know how you manage to ruin a simple meal, ugly. Even a blind monkey could cook better than you." He teased. "In fact, I bet anyone with half a brain and a tongue could do better," he taunted.

"Is that so, Yahiko-chan?" Kaoru replied. It looked for a second that she might cry. Then her face hardened. "Well in that case, you can cook dinner tonight, since we don't know when Kenshin will be back."

And before he could argue, she gathered up her dishes and stormed out.

"She's got you there," Sano laughed. "Good luck. I think I'll try to mooch a meal of Tae tonight."

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It was almost evening now. Kaoru had returned later that afternoon. Lips pressed tightly together she handed him the tofu bucket containing the block of tofu for the night's dinner. Then with out saying a word, she marched to her room and had not come out.

He had waited a while, hoping Kenshin would show up and save him from cooking. Or show up and help him cook. Or at least show up and tell him what the hell he was supposed to do with a block of tofu. But as there was no sign of his much hoped for savior, Yahiko was forced to admit that he might have to try cooking dinner alone.

"Right, even a blind monkey with half a brain can do this," he told himself.

If he didn't come up with something edible, Kaoru would never let him live this down.

He was doomed.


	5. Haikus

For this writing challenge I took the exercise

"Pick ten people you know and write a one-sentence description for each of them." I modified it to use RK characters and decided to do haikus instead of sentences. Even forcing my self to write quickly I sill spent at least 50 minutes on this and I'm not quite satisfied with some of them.

I tried to avoid physical descriptions and typical characterizations, for the most part.

Hopefully you can still identify who each haiku is written about. I'll list the names at the end of this piece.

Spoiler warnings: I used characters throughout the anime series. Some characterizations are based on their responses in particular episodes.

Standard Disclaimer applies: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, etc.

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Fast and grinning, yet-

Unhappy. Strong and focused yet-

Confused. Seeking truth.

**&&&**

Decisive and fierce.

Delivers his own justice.

Does not suffer fools.

**&&&**

Filled with strength but

Full of remorse. Powerful

Fists, elbows, and heart.

**&&&**

Devoted to ideals-

Caring and compassionate-

Quick tempered, sweet.

**&&&**

Strong, loyal, tall, and brash.

Once for hire, now a lazy mooch.

Eats, drinks and gambles.

**&&&**

Elegant yet hard,

Sacrificed for love, success--

For him, anything.

**&&&**

Not little at heart

Wants to be stronger, better.

One day he will be.

**&&&**

Sly and beautiful.

Cloudy past yet repenting.

Healing and flirting.

**&&&**

Began anew, but

Still atoning, seeking peace.

Defends his friends now.

**&&&**

Silent and reserved,

Grieves dead friends as his failure-

Yet no longer alone.

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In the order listed, the haikus are for: Soujiro, Saito, Anji, Kaoru, Sano, Yumi, Yahiko, Megumi, Kenshin, Aoshi.


	6. Spring Cleaning

Once again, I tried a Smoke and Mirrors Drabble challenge. This time is was use the concluding sentence: "Well," he said, " I guess that's one way to take care of the Spring Cleaning."

I wrote this piece in a about 20 minutes. However, I had been thinking for a day or so how I was going to approach this challenge.

Standard Disclaimers apply: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, etc.

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The break up had been bad. Kaoru wasn't sure what hurt worse-- his infidelity, his lies, or the terrible things he shouted at her when she ended it.

She had cried a lot and eaten ice cream. Time had passed and her heart had healed, her self-esteem recovered. Much of it was due to Kenshin, she acknowledged. When she had called him the morning after the break up, she hadn't really been expecting much. She simply needed a friend and Misao had been out of town.

He had come over and listened to her, even held her gently while she cried. Both that day and in the weeks that followed, his presence had been comforting. He never commented much about her relationship, but he listened, brought her sweets, and assured her that the vile accusations Enishi had made were false.

She had woken up this beautiful April morning feeling so free. It had taken her moment before she recognized what it was. She could finally admit to herself that she was over Enishi and ready to move forward with her life. Parts of her might be tender still, but it was time to leave the past behind her.

And so, she had called Kenshin while scampering around her apartment dumping things in the trash bag, pulling out old photographs and letters. He sounded a bit confused, but readily agreed to meet her at the park campgrounds with lighter fluid and matches.

He looked even more confused when she arrived carrying a trash bag, smiling broadly. Once the fire was built, she started pulling out things from the bag and burning them. By the time she had gotten to the photograph of her and Enishi at Disneyland, Kenshin's face had cleared. He even seem amused as he helped her burn the sweater Enishi had given her for Christmas.

"Well," he said, " I guess that's one way to take care of the spring cleaning."


	7. Naked!

Once again, a challenge piece from Smoke and Mirrors. Start the piece with:

"What.. what do you mean, "Naked!"

This had been tossing around in my head for a while now. It took about 30 minutes to get it down. Hope you like it.

Standard disclaimers apply: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, etc.

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"What.. what do you mean, "Naked!" Kaoru exclaimed.

"In the nude, _au naturel_, sans clothing, wearing the Emperor's new clothes, as the day you were born, _al fresco_. You know, naked," responded Misao. "It's the Lascivious Ball," she added.

"I know what 'naked' means, Misao," Kaoru replied. "I meant, 'why'. As in, why in the world would I go to a naked frat party?"

"Because you promised to attend the party with me when I rescued you from having to go out with Cho and I let you skip out of clothes shopping last weekend," Misao explained cheerfully.

"Yes, but naked! Who in the world goes nude parties?" Kaoru pleaded.

"Well, hot guys I hope," said Misao. "And you. Unless you'd rather I call up Cho and let him take you out tonight?" she added.

"I hate you," Kaoru glared.

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"But Sano," Kenshin whined, "It's a party in the nude!"

"Yeah," Sano grinned, "Think of it, nude girls all around and you don't even have to pay for it."

"Naked guys to, if that's your sort of thing," he added slyly.

Kenshin glared.

"All I'm saying is that you haven't dated a girl in ages," Sano commented.

Kenshin looked away. It had been a while since his last date. But he was interested in girls. Well, one girl at any rate. Kaoru. They had met at the gym. Talked a few times. She was friendly and confident. He kept meaning to ask her out, but never managed to say the words. She probably had a boyfriend anyway, given how nice she was. His shoulders slumped

"Alright Sano," Kenshin sighed, "I'll go."

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So there he was standing in the living room, a can of cold beer in hand. Normally, Kenshin didn't care much for beer, but the warm soda was unappealing and he hoped the alcohol might help him ignore the fact that he was naked.

He looked up to see two girls enter the room. He stared. Kaoru. In the nude. He thanked god that he had grabbed a cold drink, as he pressed it to his groin. Trying to control himself, he didn't notice her approach.

The surprise of seeing someone she knew made Kaoru forget her nudity for a moment. However, it came rushing back to her after greeting Kenshin and she flushed with embarrassment. Though it didn't stop her from checking out Kenshin's trim physique, it did seem to dry up the conversation.

"Do you want to go somewhere?" Kenshin asked suddenly.

Kaoru's eyes widened and looked at him strangely. Kenshin thought quickly.

"With clothes on, I mean." He stuttered, blushing. "Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"Please." Kaoru agreed fervently. "Let's go."


	8. Scene of Time

I attempted the following writing exercise:

Write a 200-word description of a place. You can use any and all sensory descriptions but sight: you can describe what it feels like, sounds like, smells like and even tastes like. Try to write the description in such a way that people will not miss the visual details.

I used a scene from Rurouni Kenshin, which I hope can be recognized. I haven't seen this episode in a while, so the pacing/ order of events may be slightly off. Feedback is always appreciated.

I guess this piece might be considered a slight spoiler, though no names are used in the piece itself. Afterwards, I name the scene I used.

This piece has 212 words.

Standard disclaimer applies: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, etc.

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The smell of tar permeates the air. Smoke from burning coal fills the panting lungs of both the defeated and soon to be defeated, its soot stinging their eyes.

Clanging metal offers an irregular counterpoint to the ticking of a pocket watch. Loud bangs in the distance contrast with ringing steel near by.

Throughout, the watch ticks on. _Tick tick. Tick tick. _

The ringing ceases, followed by gasps and the occasional dripping sound. The scent of blood mingles with the smell of singed flesh already present.

There are voices, then stillness. Amidst the heat and scorching sun, a small gentle breeze begins. It blows lightly, dancing over the fallen. It rustles leaves, stirs up new life.

The patter of feet, the panting, the sound of metal upon metal begins again.

At the next pause, faint noise of machines becomes louder, the heat increases.

The pocket watch ticks on.

Panting, clanging, then the sound of tearing flesh. Gasping, dripping. The ticking watch of the watch fades away.

A mighty clash. Then—smoke. Burning cloth, burning flesh, hot flames.

Running feet and deadly laughter.

Crashes, metal upon stone upon metal. Explosions permeate the background. Rumbling, shaking, dust in the air. Coughing, gasping. Eventually the noises ceases, only the smell of smoke and tar remain.

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The scene I was attempting to describe was Kenshin's battle with Shishio in his industrial type fortress.


	9. Waiting

Another drabble challenge from Smoke and Mirrors. Ravyn gave the challenge to Scribbles, but since I was desperate more more drabble ideas, I decided to see what I could do. The goal was 500 words, using clock and fingertips. I ended up with almost 700.

The previous drabble challenge I wrote ended up longer than anticipated. I posted it as a stand alone oneshot, 'Sexy Secrets'. Check it out if you're interested in Valentine's Day pieces.

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**Waiting**

Misao drummed her fingertips on the desk, frowning. _Where was he?_ She shifted in her chair, then adjusted her skirt. Patting her head she checked her hair one more time.

She sighed.

Shoving hard against the desk, she sent her self spinning cross the tiny office. The chair may be old and the seat cracked, but at least the wheels seemed to work. She pushed off the wall, veering to the side. Well, most of the wheels worked, but one of them stuck enough to keep from making it a smooth ride. She twirled around some, then, with a burst of energy, spun as fast as she could.

As the chair wound to a stop, Misao scooted back over to the desk and rested her now dizzy head. She was bored. Very bored. _Damn that man, where was he?_ She looked at the clock again only to remember that it was broken. It still ticked annoyingly, but the second hand never seemed to work its way past the 7, before falling back to the 5 to try again.

Old and broken, like most of the stuff in the room. The heavy metal desk likely predated the Second World War, if not the first. Still functioned well, if you ignored the missing drawer. The lopsided bookcase was half filled with obscure and boring books, at least in Misao's opinion. Sure, Aoshi was a mathematics graduate student, but couldn't he have something more interesting than _Calculus on Manifolds_?

Misao eyed the clunky black phone sitting on the desk. There was an arcane ritual that had to be performed to make that thing work, something with a '9' for outgoing calls, plus a billing number, plus a destination prefix…. Aoshi had explained it once, but she hadn't paid much attention, preferring to depend on her cell phone. Of course since he absconded with her purse which had her cell phone, that was no longer an option.

He had made her promise, _promise_, not the leave his office. And not just any sort of promise, one of those 'look her in the eyes and soberly ask her to do this for him' kind of promises. He had been extremely serious, even for Aoshi. And so she had agreed. And she was going to keep her word, dammit. But what was taking so long?

She drummed her fingertips some more and eyed the ancient computer in the corner. She had turned it on a while ago and it seemed to take ages to load, all the while making laboring noises. Misao had no clue how old it was, it looked like something she had used in middle school. It didn't even run Windows. She had played a game on it once while waiting for Aoshi to finish up his work. It was called 'Nethack' or something like that. The game had been mildly amusing, even if it took the computer forever to respond to the different commands. However, given her lack of login and password information, it didn't look like she'd get to distract herself with it again.

Misao sighed, then straightened as she heard the door open. She jumped up and ran over to Aoshi as he entered.

"Where have you been? What's going on? What took so long?" she said, tugging at his sleeve.

The barest hit of a smile quirked on Aoshi's lips. "Come" he said.

"Where are we going? Why did I have to wait?" Misao continued questioning him, as they walked down the hall.

Aoshi shook his head. "Soon."

He opened the door which lead out to a small courtyard. There a blanket was spread out on a table. On one corner sat a bottle of wine, another held a picnic basket. And in the center lay a single rose and an open jewelry box. A diamond ring shone.

Misao gasped.

"For you," said Aoshi looking slightly tense, "if you will have me."

"Yes!" shouted Misao, hugging him, kissing him, spinning them around. "Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!"

A true smile played over his face. "Thank you" he whispered, hugging her tightly.

Misao smiled and kissed him. The wait hadn't been as long as she'd thought.


	10. A Precious Bookmark

I was searching for some drabble challenges and stumbled upon a number of romantic themed ones provided by Sailor Draco for the Sailor Moon fandom. I'm going to try my hand at them, but for Rurouni Kenshin, of course.

This one I gave myself a 20 minute time limit. The theme was:

#13 poetry

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**A Precious Bookmark**

Kaoru looked fugitively around before sneaking the book off the shelf and hurrying to her room. Not that she really had to sneak around, since she had made sure the house was empty before heading over to the bookshelf. But she really didn't want to hear the teasing that she was sure to face if Yahiko or Sano discovered just what she had been reading these past few days.

Actually, she doubted that Sano had ever opened a book in his life, much less looked to see what was in the green volume she was reading. He and Kenshin had been walking by the other day when she was trying to quickly slip the book back in place before dinner. But Sano had been engrossed in retelling the story of his (miraculous) gambling win from the day before, so he hadn't paid her any attention.

Kenshin had probably noticed, since he notices everything, but Kenshin, being Kenshin, was unlikely to comment. Though being caught reading romantic poetry by Kenshin would probably be just as embarrassing as being caught by Yahiko, but for entirely different reasons.

Things had been different between them since his return from Kyoto. Better, closer, but still not quite 'together'. And while she might wish for Kenshin to read poetry to her (and perhaps pretend while reading that he was saying those things), she would still be embarrassed to get caught by him. Of course, that wasn't going to stop her from fantasizing about him…

Smiling, Kaoru recalled the soft look he had given her this morning, like he knew of some special secret that would make her happy. As she opened the book, she noticed a slip of paper tucked inside. She looked at the poem it marked – a bit of sweet love poetry, describing the beauty and spirit of a special woman. Glancing at the scrap a paper, she read:

_This one reminds me of you._

_-Kenshin_


	11. Contentment

Another drabble challenge from Sailor Draco's list. I once again set a 20 minute time limit for myself. Today's theme:

#17 cuddle

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**Contentment**

They were about halfway through the movie, having just finished the popcorn and soda. Wiping her hands, Kaoru looked over at Kenshin and smiled. She pulled her knees up on the couch and leaned into him, then adjusted the blanket. Kenshin pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

Kaoru returned her attention to the movie. It was one they had seen before, a 'feel-good' family movie. She closed her eyes. It wasn't that the movie was boring, but she was content just being with Kenshin right now.

She breathed deeply, catching his scent, and pressed her cheek against his shoulder. They had been together for over four years now. She still marveled at how content and peaceful she felt touching him. It seemed that just by cuddling close to him, everything became right in the world. There were still bills to be paid, problems to be resolved, but those things seemed so far way and unimportant at the moment. This contact filled her with a deep sense of being loved.

Wrapping an arm around his waist, Kaoru snuggled closer, savoring the contact. The steady rise and fall of his chest soothed her. She slipped a hand inside his shirt and slowly rubbed the planes of his chest some, before resting her hand above his heart, feeling it's rhythm She delighted in his body, how it seemed at times as if she couldn't tell where she ended and he began. How he felt so right, how their bodies seemed exquisitely in tune with one another.

A great sense of love and belonging filled her. Her soul felt at home. This was what made life worth living, this peace, this joy, this love, this man.


	12. Love Letters

Another Sailor Draco challenge: #2 love letters. Wrote this in 20 minutes. Thought it might be an interesting take on the topic. Not sure how well it worked out. Feedback is always appreciated.

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**Love Letters**

_Misao-_

_Please sign for the UPS package being delivered today._

_ -Aoshi  
_

Misao sighed and held the note close. He had remember that she would be around that afternoon, and of all their apartment mates, he had asked _her_ for help.

&&&&&

_Misao-_

_I have a business associate coming to dinner tonight. Please dress appropriately._

_-Aoshi_

She smiled and twirled around. He noticed what she wore. He wanted to introduce her to business associates. He'd ask her out soon, she knew it.

&&&&&

_Misao-_

_I will be out of town on business for the next week. Will you please remember to feed the cat._

_-Aoshi_

She straightened her shoulders in pride. He trusted her enough to place his pet in her care. And he felt it was important to inform her of his schedule. Things were looking good.

&&&&&

_Misao-_

_Happy Birthday. Enjoy the flowers. I won't be able to attend the party due to a business engagement._

_-Aoshi_

Misao grinned. He remembered her birthday and bought her flowers. He even used the word 'engagement'. It must be true love. He'd acknowledge her feelings soon.

&&&&&

Misao looked down at the scraps of paper in her hand. Love letters, she had called them at the time. She sighed. It seemed like more than beauty was in the eye of the beholder. Now, years later, they didn't give her the same thrill. She could no longer see the potential for romance, the hidden love, that at the time she had been certain was there.

Funny, how things change. How so much depends on your perspective. How once hopeful notes fade when put in the presence of an actual love letter.

This new note was really a love letter.

She was certain.


	13. Daydreaming

Another Sailor Draco drabble challenge, #19 daydreaming. Pushed myself to see what I could do in 10 min. Here's what I came up with.

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**Daydreaming**

Kaoru smiled and leaned back against the porch post. The sun shone lightly down and from her vantage point she could just see Kenshin doing the laundry. A small breeze blew through the yard, tugging at his gi, occasionally giving her tantalizing glimpses of his smooth chest below.

She half closed her eyes and let her mind run free. Imagining his hands covering her body instead of her clothes in the wash tub, Kaoru felt her heart beat faster. She thought about what it would be like to run her hands through that silky red hair of his. If all the hair on his body was red… and if it would all feel just as silky.

Forcing herself to outwardly remain calm, Kaoru continued her mental perusal of Kenshin's form. How would those lips fell, pressed against hers? What color would his eyes be, when filled with passion? Would his voice be deep and husky, or that warm, rich tenor? Eyes closed, leaning back, she contemplated these things, and other things that came to mind….

"Hey! Ugly! Get a bed!"

Kaoru's eye's flew open and she blushed hard. Seeing Yahiko, her eyes narrowed.

"Geeze, if you're going to sleep, do it where no one will trip over you." He snorted, shouldering past her into the house.

Kaoru sighed, stood, and fixed her kimono. Beds were for other things. For daydreaming, Kaoru preferred the view of the laundry basket.


	14. Flirting

Been feeling uncreative lately, in addition to being under the weather (damn allergies). Finally got around to writing something. Did another drabble challenge from Sailor Draco, #23 flirt. Been thinking about a follow up to Sexy Secrets. We'll see when  
(if ever) I get it written.

Just over 20 minutes for this pieces. As always, reviews are appreciated.

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**Flirting**

Sano shook his head, watching Kaoru walk away. Looking at Kenshin he sighed, "She was flirting with you, you know."

"Sano, Miss Kaoru is a nice girl. She was just being friendly."

"Then why is she so much _friendlier_ to you than me?" he countered.

"I'm sure you're just imagining things," Kenshin replied.

"She complimented you on your clothes, your hairstyle, and the color of your eyes."

"Umm… well Sano, you do always wear the same jacket…. And it's debatable whether those spikes are a hairstyle or lack of a comb…." Kenshin mumbled.

Sano glared. "And the eyes. No wait, don't tell me, brown is just ordinary so she didn't mention them."

Kenshin nodded fervently.

"Well then, how do you explain her asking you if you'd like to meet at the museum this afternoon?" Sano said, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you joined us," Kenshin replied.

Sano rolled his eyes. "You really are dense aren't you? Besides, I hate museums."

"That's probably why she didn't invite you, since she wouldn't want you to feel pressured to come." Kenshin pointed out.

"More likely that's why she choose the museum in the first place," Sano muttered. Clearing his throat, he looked at Kenshin speculatively. "What do you have against her flirting with you?"

Kenshin stuttered, "I'm s-sure you're m-mistaken Sano. Kaoru and I are just friends. Nothing more."

"But you'd like more, right?"

Kenshin blushed. "Sano….. Please, let's drop this. She was not flirting with me. She just sees me as a friend."

"I'll make you a deal," Sano replied. "When you see her this afternoon, flirt with her a bunch. I bet she'll respond and you can ask her out and see that I am right. If she doesn't accept the date I'll never bring this up again."

Kenshin stared at him. "It's hardly fair to flirt with Miss Kaoru over a bet."

"You're interested in her, aren't you? So it's not like you're pretending to like her or something. Besides, if she ain't interested, she'll let you know. She's a straight forward kind of gal." Sano countered.

Kenshin scuffed the ground, trying to think up a counter argument.

Sano continued, "You are capable of flirting, aren't you?"

Kenshin looked away.

Slapping him on the back, Sano sighed, "Well give it your best shot. I doubt she's expecting much from you anyway. As long as you managed to ask her out, I'm sure she'll take it from there."

Kenshin looked thoughtful. How did one go about flirting? He could give her compliments, he supposed. Show appreciation for her outfit, her hairstyle, her eyes…..


	15. A Private Picnic

Okay, trying my hand at writing some more. This is Sailor Draco's drabble challenge #5: private picnics. Honestly, I find this piece to be a bit flat—I just don't feel like I managed to convey the characters of K&K. They don't feel out of character to me, but they don't feel "in" character either. Hope you still enjoy it, though.

Standard disclaimers apply: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, etc.

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Kaoru looked in her shopping basket, while waiting in line. French baguettes. Pate. Brie. Strawberries. Grapes. A Dutch goat's milk gouda. Cherry cider. Some Danish blue cheese. Valhorona chocolate bars. Baklava. She licked her lips. _While I may not be able to cook, I can certainly pack a picnic._

After checking out, she hurried home. Putting the food in a picnic basket, she scrounged around for napkins and utensils to add. Once the basket was ready to go, with a blanket sitting next to it, she bit her lip. _Okay Kaoru, you can do this. Operation Ruin Friendship…er… Seduce Kenshin is already underway. No chickening out now._

Looking down at her clothes, she sighed. If she was going to convince Kenshin to move beyond friends, she should really wear something other than ripped jeans and a t-shirt from a kendo tournament. Digging through her closet she found a nice sundress Misao had made her buy. Changing in to it and grabbing some white sandals to match, she considered what to do with her hair. Her standard ponytail seemed to say "let's go jogging" more than "spend the night". The French twist Megumi always put in her hair for special occasions was well beyond her capabilities. Brushing her black hair, she decided to leave it down, with a fancy headband to keep it back from her face.

Adding a touch of blush and fixing her lipstick, she felt ready to go. Well as ready as she was likely to get anyway. Eye shadow was out since she didn't want to end up looking like a raccoon... _Stop putting this off. Now go pick up Kenshin before you are late._

&&&&&

Kenshin paced around his apartment, waiting for Kaoru. She wasn't late, not yet, but he was still antsy. Sano's comment kept running though his head.

"You know, she's not going to wait forever for you to make a move. Be a man and kiss her, before she takes matters into her own hands."

He still wasn't convinced, despite Sano's comments and Megumi's sly remarks, that Kaoru like him that way.

Answering the door he found Kaoru dressed up and smiling at him. His mind went blank. Sano was right. _Tell her she looks nice. Tell her she looks nice. Tell her she looks nice,_ his mind chanted.

"Hi Kaoru," he said. "You… ready to go?" He winced mentally.

Her smile faltered slightly, then she grabbed his hand and led him to the car. They were silent for a while as she started the drive.

"Hope you're hungry" she said. "I have a great picnic packed for the two of us. Don't worry – I didn't cook it. Bread, cheese, fruit, chocolate, that sort of thing." She fidgeted nervously.

"Sounds wonderful. Where are we going?" Kenshin asked.

"We're almost there. There's a secluded picnic area near the coast – Lover's Point I believe it's called." She replied, slightly flushed.

Kenshin looked at her. _Dressing up, holding hands, blushing, planning romantic picnic. Kaoru's definitely trying to get my attention. I'm not completely clueless despite what our friends may think. _

As Kaoru parked the car, Kenshin considered his options. It really wasn't fair to make her do all the work in changing their friendship into a romance. Her hints so far had given him confidence that his advances wouldn't be rejected. Besides Sano would never let him live it down if he didn't make the first move.

He walked around the car to where Kaoru was getting the basket out of the back seat. Taking a deep breath, he put his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.

"Kenshin?" she faltered.

"Let me help you. It wouldn't be fair for you to do all the work for our first date." He murmured.

She gasped and turned around, eyes shining.

Leaning in, he kissed her gently. "I do hope this is supposed to be a romantic date," he said huskily, "otherwise my thoughts have been taking an entirely inappropriate direction."

Kaoru's smile shone brightly, before she kissed him full on the mouth. "The first date of many, I hope."

He nodded, then softly kissed her again. The rumbling of her stomach made him pull back. She blushed.

"Let's have lunch first. Then you can show me the direction your thoughts have been going."

Squeezing her gently, he smiled. "Definitely."


	16. Stargazing

**Author's Note:** I'm back to using drabble challenges to force myself to write more. This one is from is #1 Stargazing from The Romance Themes List Drabble Challenge by Sailor Draco. It's a bit cheesy in my opinion, but here it is.

**Disclaimer:** All standard disclaimers apply: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, I make no money off this work, etc. Characters of Rurouni Kenshin are the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki.

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Stargazing was supposed to be romantic. Something you did with your special someone, snuggled together on a blanket with no one else around. Or even spent holding her hand at the planetarium, stealing kisses while the other patrons listened to the lecture.

Stargazing was NOT supposed to be spent shivering on the grass because you forgot your jacket, ignoring not-quite-drunk-yet frat boys heckle you because your long red hair made them think you were a girl, feeling alone since all your friends brought dates.

Stargazing was supposed to be special, magical, a chance at true love or at least a shooting star -- not a rather boring way to kill time while you waited for fireworks you didn't even want to see.

And so, Kenshin stopped star gazing and started people gazing.

In doing so, he saw her. And once again he had stars in his eyes.


	17. Trapped

**Author's Note:** This one is from is #7 Trapped Together, from The Romance Themes List Drabble Challenge by Sailor Draco. Not quite sure if this one worked how I intended it, but hopefully it's understandable.

**Disclaimer:** All standard disclaimers apply: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, I make no money off this work, etc. Characters of Rurouni Kenshin are the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki.

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Aoshi wondered if he was trapped in his own private little hell. He couldn't say he had had any objections when Misao asked him to accompany her to photograph an old mansion for one of her classes. Of course, that was before the lift broke and let them stranded in the root cellar.

The lift was a cross between a dumbwaiter and an hoisted elevator – basically a platform with a rope pulley system through the center, by which you literally pulled yourself up and down. The frayed rope didn't break until he had begun to pull them up. Thankfully they only dropped six inches or so, but it left them trapped in the root cellar with the frayed end of the rope dangling well out of Aoshi's reach.

None of this was of much concern to him. He could always just scale the wall if necessary. No, it was Misao that turned this small shaft into his own personal hell. Or heaven, depending on how you looked at it.

Turning away from him she bent down to set the hurricane lamp in the corner, giving him a full view of how tightly her jeans fit her perfectly shaped ass. While he gave no outward sign of noticing, Aoshi did not avert his eyes from her pert, round bottom.

Turning around she looked up at him with those wide green eyes. "No, that won't do. We definitely want the light higher, especially…."

Aoshi dimly listened to her ramblings as she turned around to reclaim the lamp, again giving him a clear view of just how _fit_ her backside really was. Still talking, she reached up to hang the lamp on a bent nail, causing her shirt to ride up and show off the smooth skin of her lower back. He took no apparent notice of the purple thong that showed as well.

However, a careful observer might have seen faint signs of stress appear once Misao decided to use him as a ladder to reach the rope. His initial boost seemed only to place her chest at eye height. Very, very close eye height. He could make out the lace on her bra through her T-shirt. Which had nothing to do with his decision to boost her higher.

Unfortunately for him this caused Misao to stabilize herself by pressing the taunt planes of her abdomen into his face. Yet even this was not enough height for her to reach the rope, so she chose to descend by sliding her body down the length of his. He managed not to groan at this, though the muscles in his jaw clearly tensed.

Her next attempt was sitting on his shoulders, with her crotch pressed tightly against his neck. He had his hands on her sides to steady her, trying to ignore how her stretching gave him a feel of her soft, trim waist.

When even that was not quite enough distance to reach the rope, she opted to place her knees on his shoulders. While this placed her crotch over his head, he now had to firmly grasp the backs of her upper thighs in order to keep her steady. He tried not to think too hard about it. Or any harder about it at least.

Finally she managed to reach the rope. This time she slide down the back of him; he could feel the press of her breasts all the way down. But that was better than down his front. For her sake, at least. Or possibly his.

Taking the rope from her, he set about repairing the lift, trying to avoid looking at how her exerted panting heaved her chest and flushed her cheeks. With his most of his attention now on pulling them out, he almost failed to see Misao moisten her lips as she admired the way his muscles rippled under this shirt.

Aoshi pulled faster. He wanted out of this place.

Soon.

Before more than just a rope snapped.


	18. A Taste of Attraction?

**Disclaimer:** All standard disclaimers apply: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, I make no money off this work, etc. Characters of Rurouni Kenshin are the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki.

**Author's Note:** I now I haven't posted in quite sometime. I'd like to blame it on moving cross country, new jobs, job from hell and stuff. But the truth is I just haven't been inspired lately. I was going transferring files to my new computer and realized I hadn't posted this drabble yet, so I figured I'd toss it up. It's from Sailor Draco's romance drabble challenges #24: Shared Milkshake.

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Kaoru sighed with pleasure as she exited the ice cream shop. The large coffee-banana shake she had ordered was just perfect for the warm July day. Coffee for her caffeine fix and banana to make it healthy -- or so she justified it to herself.

She scooped up a chunk of banana on the spoon and slowly savored it as she headed toward the park. With a paperback and a boken in her backpack and a milkshake in hand, it was shaping up to be a great Saturday afternoon. Kaoru figured she'd sit in the shade and read while finishing her treat. Once she was done and had finished the book ….er given adequate time to digest, she'd practice some katas on the field. Not quite a dojo, but it had plenty of open space and had sunshine to boot.

Thoroughly immersed in planning her afternoon, Kaoru entered the park and began scanning the trees for a nice place to sit. Unfortunately, with eyes elsewhere, she failed to notice the pedestrian in her path.

Bam!

Brown ice cream dribbled down his face and banana chunks fell from his bright red hair. Kaoru looked at him in shock. She had just spilt her shake all over this slight young man in front of her. Blood rushed to her face.

The man blinked, his big blue eyes twinkling and a grin stole over his face. Reaching out a finger he scooped a bit of ice cream remaining in the cup and slowly ate it. Licking his finger clean, he said "Thanks for sharing your shake with me. Name's Kenshin."

Kaoru stammered and began to apologize. With a wave he stopped her. After all, he had clearly planned on bumping into her when he spotted the cute young woman enter the park. True, he hadn't quite meant to do so literally, but now he didn't need to come up with an excuse to meet her. Of course, with ice cream melting all over himself, his plan to try and take her out was a bit foiled.

But given the taste he had, it seemed like he might owe her some coffee….


	19. Movement

Dancing was what she thought of when she first saw him. The was an inherent grace to his moves; a relaxed, self-assurance pervaded every gesture. She could see control and purpose in his body movements even when he slouched against the wall.

Here was a man who was intimately aware of every muscle in his body, who knew his own abilities so completely he no longer even thought about it.

It was exquisite to watch dance. It was even more exhilarating to watch him fight.

But true appreciation of his skill came the day he moved within her.

Author's Note:

Having not written anything in quite sometime, I tried my hand at another Sailor Draco drabble challenge: Dancing. There's nothing explicitly RK here, but I was definitely thinking of Kenshin when I wrote it.


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